Topic: Decline of the West
I really don't think it's a good sign for Barack Obama that his teleprompter has become something of a celebrity. And it's not just "right-wing talk radio" that's yucking it up over the President's teleprompter dependency. Consider the tone of this story from the Associated Press on last night's presidential press conference. When I recall the fawning tone with which the mainstream media have been wont to report on Obama, AP's story strikes me as distinctly snide.
The unscripted Obama is not particularly compelling. When he's really flailing, the fractured syntax and verbalized pauses would do credit to any American adolescent. So far, given the media's love affair with Big O, this hasn't mattered too much. But as the Obama presidency drags on, reporters will gradually grow bored with him. And there are few people nastier than a bored reporter.
